All the Other Stuff

All the Other Stuff, Cronyism, Michigan, Opinion, Taxes

It’s The Little Things

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Like when a district superintendent mishandles a simple charter school arrangement to a point of incompetency.

That turn into the big things.

superintendent-inkedWhat happens when a failing public school government becomes financially envious of a successful charter operation it oversees?  It tries to take it over. That is the unspoken punch line in a story carried by Capital Confidential last year.

“Livonia Public Schools is the authorizer of Hinoki International School, but the school district now is moving to start its own Japanese magnet school in the same building used by Hinoki.”

In 2014, Livonia Public Schools used its power to put Hinoki charter school out of business by ending the school’s building lease one year before the charter authorization was to expire.  Hinoki, a Japanese immersion ‘magnet school’ was in a growth phase, and showed financial strength that appeared attractive to the struggling LPS superintendent Randy Liepa.

Spurred on by a disgruntled Hinoki principal, Liepa and LPS cancelled the lease for the immersion program, while at the same time used the exact same location to start a district run Japanese immersion school. This of course left Hinoki, (the successful school that was growing)  without a building. It also meant that the school would lose its charter authorization from the Livonia Public Schools in a 6-1 vote.

“Gosh, so sorry..  We really hate to see you leave..”

Hinoki did not operate for the 2014-2015 school year.

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All the Other Stuff

A Brave New Warrior

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The most precious gift we shall ever behold.

Owen-RobertLife.

I still recall the day I held my son in my arms, and thought “there is nothing and no-one as beautiful as this boy.” A thought that I carried through well beyond his first temper tantrum, or worst smelly stinky changing. Candy and I have done what we can to guide him, and we couldn’t be happier. He has made us proud, married a smart and beautiful woman, and they have now brought us even greater news.

Candy and I are now celebrating with tears of JOY at the blessing given to us with the birth of our grandson Owen Robert Gillman tonight.

GipperHe is a healthy 6 lbs 12 Oz, and seems ready to take on the world.  May God bless him, watch over him, and guide him.

Children are a heritage from the Lord, offspring a reward from him.  Like arrows in the hands of a warrior are children born in one’s youth.  Blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them.  They will not be put to shame when they contend with their opponents in court.

~ (Psalm 127:3-5)

 

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All the Other Stuff, Cronyism, Michigan, Michigan Politics, Proposal 15-1

Arrogance Of The Aristocracy

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Having no one to tell them "NO" previously, our leadership brazenly assumes immunity from the law.

Watching Obama the other night was something many of my friends could not do.

As he quite literally leaned on the podium and gave an in-your-face ‘I don’t give a damn about your efforts’ speech to the congress, he further provoked with the threat of veto for anything that did not meet his agenda. The soft sneer of disrespect to the people’s house and its ‘opposition’ inhabitants was palpable.  But it was not unexpected.

How else might a top executive act when he is given every thing that he wants? In what other way would he comport himself when weak threats are buttressed by inaction and outright political cowardice?  The Republican controlled House of Representatives has hardly put its foot down each time the president has acted in an unconstitutional manner, and there is little indication it might in the future.

So the law does not matter to this president, and for many of the same reasons, it does not matter to Michigan’s governor.  When people seek power, they are sometimes willing to overlook the blatant disregard for checks and balances, and pretend the emperor is indeed fully clothed.

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All the Other Stuff, Conservative News, Cronyism, Elections, Michigan, Michigan Politics, Opinion, Republicans

Miller mea culpa…you be the judge.

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Does this sound acceptable to you? I'll let you be the judge.

One of the things I love about elected officials is how seriously they take their jobs.

I mean, where else can you effectively ignore your “boss” and not only do things that you were not empowered/authorized to do when you were “hired”, but when it comes to accounting for your actions, you blow off requests to explain yourself.

I can effective count on one hand (and still have fingers left over) politicians who get back to me in a timely manner after I write a letter or phone their office. Especially, after I specifically tell their staffer that I would like a response from them.

I’ll be realistic. I’m not expecting a call back within the next five minutes from them, although it would be nice, but the level of disrespectfulness from these “professionals” from their actions is appalling.

So what does this have to do with one Candy Miller?

{Click on the button to find out.}

 

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All the Other Stuff, Cronyism, Michigan, Michigan Politics, Rent Seeking, Republicans

We’re Still Watching

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Before the ink is put to paper, we should be on record.

Just so no one forgets, we called this one before it happened.

And NO, it has not yet happened, but to be sure, the water boy is owed his paycheck.  From the Ivory Tower:

“Novi District Court, one of the busiest in Oakland County, will see two new judges seated in January — one who has promised reform after a series of scandals and another yet to be appointed by the governor.”

Appropriate link and reminder above provided as a free public service.

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All the Other Stuff, Conservative News, Elections, Michigan, Republicans

Gillman For Speaker

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Toss Boehner. Its time to put some constitutional perspective back into play.

I’m eligible, and have a whole day in which to reach our congressmen.

“The House of Representatives shall chuse their Speaker and other Officers; and shall have the sole Power of Impeachment.”
— U.S. Constitution, Article I, section 2, clause 5

Pass it along.

Sign-speaker

We need to shave off very FEW votes.  I am in the running. So..

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All the Other Stuff, Elections, Michigan Politics, Opinion, Philosophy, Republicans

And why does this sound so familiar?

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So, stop me if you’ve heard this one before:

“When you look at the last four years, we hardly did anything for working-class families as far as tax relief.” – Michigan State Senator Jack Brandenburg – January 2015 (from today’s Detroit News)

“What do I look like, an ATM machine here?” – Gov. Rick Snyder, September 2013 (AEI speech)

Ummmmm, yeah.

{And if wishes were horses, we’d all be eating steak. Continued after the fold}

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All the Other Stuff, Conservative News, Michigan, Michigan Politics, Opinion, Philosophy

The RightMi.Com Year In Review

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A few items of note from each month in the year 2014.

RightMi.com was the back up site for RightMichigan.com in the event something happened to the WWII servers hosting the original site.

So-far

We started off in January fighting for a good man and ultimately getting booted for saying enough is enough from those who profess to be conservative, but cannot be counted on when it matters.  We argued that some GOP leaders have their priorities off, and when Betsy DeVos attacked one of the most stalwart and responsible Republicans in the state, we said not-no-fast.

Setting The Wrong Table

Of course that resulted in the move from the old site to the new.   Much of January was spent reminding people of the values Republicans are supposed to hold and why attacking our most conservative committeeman was maybe not such a good idea.  RighMi.com as a destination became a reality.  Unapologetic, informed, and collaborative; Michigan’s conservative blogging has a home just like Do Six Figures

OH, and as for the subject of the misplaced attacks?

He is just fine and dandy

February found Michigan legislators beginning the debate for a minimum wage increase, bailing out the big D, and local governments pandering to a dangerous lifestyle..

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All the Other Stuff, Conservative News, Cronyism, Detroit, Michigan, Michigan Politics, Opinion, Philosophy, Rent Seeking, Republicans

Want to see what a Michigan republican party-backed $195-million Taxpayer funded bailout of Detroit gets you?

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Just to be on the level, I’m not going to bring back stories about grossly overpaid art museum CEO’s and their boards, not-so secret loans to art museum CEO’s, and art millage scams promoted against Tri-County Taxpayers.

Feel free to use that search window in the upper-right corner if you’re inclined to read more about it.

No, I’m going to talk about what the good people in the Snyder/Calley/Weiser/et al republican machine are in effect helping to promote with your own hard-earned tax dollars.

Just a quick warning to those who wish to continue: The remainder of this post does contain some graphic and disturbing descriptions.

Consider yourselves warned!

{Continued after the fold}

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All the Other Stuff, Conservative News, Cronyism, Detroit, Michigan, Michigan Politics, Opinion, Philosophy, Rent Seeking, Republicans

Maybe A little Mis-Read?

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A Traverse City Retailer might well feel the pain of his misplaced good cents.

There will be more than a few legislators regretting their turkey moves of additional regulatory rules during the ‘lame duck’ session.

But its not just the legislators. ‘Exhibit A,’ might well be a story that ‘celebrates’ the “early Christmas present” that Front Street Traverse City business received via SB 569 and SB 658 on Friday Morning. Demonstrating that the lobbying efforts of a few rent seeking business interests are not at all in line with taxpayer interests, the piece on Saturday’s TC Ticker starts with the ‘celebration’ of the “main-street fairness” law:

“It’s been years in the making, but state lawmakers have handed brick-and-mortar retailers like Bill Golden and others throughout Traverse City and Michigan a welcome Christmas present. Starting in October, more online retailers will have to add on Michigan’s sales tax to customer purchases — just like Michigan retailers have always had to do.”

Of course, folks around here (and very likely in all other places) understand that what is sold as fairness is usually anything but fair.

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